Target: Love
by bibi 13ca
Summary: When dangerously sexy CIA agent Damon Salvatore meets beautiful Elena Gilbert a paid assassin with no remorse, things get complicated. Would he be able to take away her freedom? Would she be able to kill him in order to protect herself?
1. Chapter 1

**N: Ok…so, even since a good friend of mine (Rosesareforever) started her story 'Man on a Mission' this idea kind of came to life in my head, but I had other projects, so I waited until now to get it out.**

**Not much to say about it, this first chapter's mostly on Damon, hope you'll like it and the next chapter will be on Elena. It will be a ten up to fifteen chapters' story that you'll hopefully enjoy. This story's not about smut, but it is rated-M so there _will be_ smut, please keep that in mind.**

**The first few chapter will be slow as we get to know the characters and let them get to know each other a bit, but later on expect angst, passion, crime, humor, drama and violence.**

**Thank you Valerie (2serendipity) for your quick beta work.**

* * *

><p><strong>Observe and report<strong>

Damon placed his gun in the glove compartment and closed it with a loud 'click' as he let out a sigh. In his hand was a thin file. The words: 'target 24' were imprinted in bright red on the pale cover. Pulling out a small picture, he stared at it for a full ten minutes before dropping it back in the file-holder. She was a beautiful woman – really beautiful – too bad he would have to take away her freedom soon.

He pushed the dark Jimmy Choo glasses on top of his head and looked out of the window, watching her as she took a seat at a small table in the corner of the coffee shop. He watched as she turned on her laptop and started typing. Then he watched her as she wrote for five hours straight. In all this time, she ordered two – he guessed – coffees and something to eat – it looked like a sandwich from where he was sitting, or perhaps a bagel.

As soon as she started moving, Damon realized that he had not moved in over five hours and his feet felt numb. He cursed under his breath and tried stretching his legs within the tiny space of his Camaro. When he looked back, he saw her getting up and leaving the coffee shop without taking the laptop with her. Not a minute later, a man who had been sitting on the opposite side of the shop came and picked it up.

Following her with his eyes, he could not help but be impressed by her tininess. She looked so soft and delicate; he almost had a hard time believing that such a gentle creature could kill in cold blood. Of course, he knew better than to let himself be fooled by appearances. He used to work with lots of nice, beautiful, gentle women who were just as cruel as he was, if not more so. They were right by his side when the time came for fighting or even killing.

Rebekah had been by far the best female agent he had ever met. She'd been beautiful, sexy, smart and skilled…not only in the field, but in bed too. She had liked it hard, fast and violent, but Damon did not complain; he had enjoyed the ride while it lasted. After Rebekah, there had been Rose. Rose was different from Rebekah in many aspects. She was warm, calm and quite docile, and he had loved the contrast. He had even come to care for Rose. He had actually taken a week off – something that never happened – after she died. Imagine working with guns, hunting down criminals, chasing the most dangerous assassins in the world, to finally die of a spider bite! Now that was what Damon called irony. He had even been there when it happened. The fact that there had been nothing he could do, had driven him crazy… and sometimes still did. She had practically died in his arms and with his name on her lips. Then came Andie. The beautiful, tall, elegant Andie Starr. He had liked Andie in a 'care if she lived or died' way, but nothing more. He had learned his lesson a long time ago. Women were not creatures you got attached to, especially when they had a dangerous mind and an even more dangerous job. Women were beings you loved passionately for a few hours a day, but as soon as those hours were over, you simply moved on. Damon was a passionate man: he did not just 'have sex', 'hook up' or 'get laid'; no, Damon made love to every woman he had ever been with. He loved to spoil them, caress them, discover them…even after many years of experience, he was still amazed by them, by how different they all were.

'Love 'em and leave 'em,' that was his motto. Except for this one girl. One girl had managed to steal his heart and keep it, only to crush it and throw it away. It had happened a long time ago, but he still remembered it as if it was yesterday. Her name was Katherine Pierce. She had actually faked her own death, so she could take off with none other than his own dear brother. She had probably thought Damon would just mourn her death and move on, but Damon had always known when something fishy was going on. That was exactly why he was the best-paid agent on the team, and that was why the CIA had hired him in the first place. He had learned early on to always follow his instinct, and until this day, it had never failed him. Even if Katherine had been smart – maybe even as smart as he was – she had made one mistake: she had taken his brother's last name. It was stupid beyond belief, but ironically enough, she must have done it because she was really in love with his baby brother.

He had been twenty-one and she just nineteen when they met. She had just started working for the CIA as an assistant. He fell in love with her from the very first moment he laid eyes on her. Her platinum blonde hair, her big lapis lazuli eyes and her coral pink lips had hypnotised him. The perfect image of her still haunted his dreams sometimes. He had tried to forget and move on, but it had not been easy. She had been the first girl he had given his heart to, and he swore she would remain the last. One thing was for sure: he would never make that mistake again.

Memories of Katherine were taking over his mind. Some were good, some were bad, but they were all he had left. Those memories were the only thing keeping him sane…keeping him human. He had a dangerous job and he loved it, but the first thing you learned in this profession was to not get emotionally involved. Ever. Damon was no saint; he killed people on occasion, but those were mostly accidents or situations where he had no other option. Plus, they were bad people – at least that was his excuse. In this case, he was the good guy and Elena Gilbert was the bad guy. His job was to catch people like her, so that was what he would do. In spite of this, it was still hard for Damon to keep a grip on his humanity; sometimes he could feel it slowly slipping between his fingers and that scared him.

The plan was to stop one day, find a nice girl he liked, have two or three children, a big house and a dog. He wanted to reside in a nice, quiet neighbourhood where his children could play in the backyard. As cliché as it all sounded, even CIA agents wanted that. They all wanted a life, a normal, boring life. Damon loved his job, no doubt about it, but at one point, he dreamed about having nothing but normality and stability.

Damon Salvatore was now twenty eight. He had been spotted by the Agency when he was only fifteen, after he and his brother had lost their father to hepatocellular carcinoma*. They had recruited him three years later. At age eighteen, Damon had successfully completed his first mission, and three months later he made his first kill. It had been an accident and he had actually felt bad about it – for a while. Damon was not only smart and courageous, but also skilled and resourceful. He spoke five languages and seemed to excel at everything he did, which allowed him to quickly move onto the next level, until he got his own office, his own secretary, his own personal assistant and his own team.

He adored his work at the Agency. It gave him a purpose and his life meaning. Thanks to his job, he belonged somewhere; he had a mission. It was easy: observe the bad guy, collect proof, catch him in the act and last but not least, take him – well _her_ in this case – into custody.

His new assignment was Elena Gilbert. Twenty-five year-old female: chocolate brown hair, big, doe brown eyes and the sweetest smile. The truth was that the calm, nice ones were the most dangerous, the ones you should run away from. Elena Gilbert's current job was rumoured to be paid assassin. Of course the Intelligence did not have any proof, which was why they sent him. If anyone was likely to get that proof, it was Damon Salvatore.

Damon parked his blue Chevrolet two streets away just to be sure. The last thing he wanted was to blow his cover. He had it all planned in his head. First, he had to observe her, learn everything there was to know about her: what she liked, what she did not like, who she liked and did not like. After making sure he knew everything about her and her habits, he would learn about her work and her colleagues. And last but not least, about her friends and family. From what he had read in the report Amy had prepared for him, she only had one younger brother who lived in California. Her parents had died in a car accident eight years ago. Of course Damon knew better than to believe everything written about a paid assassin. All the information could be false as far as he was concerned. Based on the lies and what he could discover of the truth by his observations, he would get to know her better than even her dear departed mother – may she rest in peace – had known her own daughter.

When the agency needed the best, they called him. In all modesty, Damon knew his own worth, but he also knew that no task is an easy task. They would not have called him and given him this mission if it was easy. But Damon liked a challenge; it was the best part of the job. The harder the mission, they better he felt once it was completed.

"Excuse me, sir, can I get you anything?" the young girl asked and Damon shook his head before turning his attention to the intruder.

"Uh…" he was a bit confused. What was this girl doing knocking on his window? He soon realized that the girl had mot knocked, the window was rolled down and he was actually in the line to McDonald's drive-in. He flashed his signature smirk and he could practically feel the young girl's eyes brighten. "I'll have a large coffee, black, no sugar and one blueberry muffin." He almost forgot he pulled there for a fresh cup of coffee.

"That will be 4$28," she announced and Damon just handed her a ten dollar bill. When the girl wanted to return him the change, he refused. She came back two minutes later with his order. Damon thanked her with a smile and drove away.

***Target: Love***

Damon had been following 'target 24' around for almost two weeks. He had even tracked down her childhood friends and her first boyfriend. He knew everything there was to know about her, her friends and her family. As the report said, she did have a brother, but she only talked to him once a week or so. She also had a best friend, a girl named Caroline Forbes, who was engaged to the famous football player Tyler Lockwood. He had also seen her out with the owner of one of the most expensive clubs in LA: Matt Donovan. For an assassin, she sure kept an interesting circle of friends. Damon also knew she and Matt had been dating back in their high school days, but they had been friends since their break up in senior year. After Matt, and with the exception of two or three guys that did not last more than a few weeks, she seemed to have no intention of settling down in some kind of 'serious relationship'.

He put down her file – it was now heavy and detailed, just the way he liked it. As long as he had the information, and assuming most of it was correct – which it was since he had personally checked – that meant that he had the upper hand.

Deciding it was time to make his move, he arranged his tie and got out of the fancy car, handing the key to the teenager that had been watching him for the past five minutes.

"Thank you," he said and the boy smiled, taking the keys.

The club was packed, but it did not take him more than a few seconds to spot her at the bar. He had to admit that she looked absolutely beautiful in an ivory strapless dress that was short enough to show off her legs, but long enough to be tasteful. Her hair was now in soft curls all over her back and shoulders, and her silver sandals complimented her olive skin.

'_It will be a pleasure getting to know her,'_ Damon thought.

He waited for her to buy the drinks while he moved to the left side of the bar. When she turned around, he started walking towards her casually. Just when he was an inch away, he waved his hand, knocking down her drinks.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he whispered as he pulled an immaculate white handkerchief from his pocket to help her clean her hands and arms.

"It's ok, I…" she stopped as soon as her eyes met his. He knew this part was coming; he was even hoping it would, but still he wasn't ready for it. He was not ready for the intensity and the flame that was burning in her eyes; he was not ready for the electric shock that passed through his entire body once her soft hand made contact with his; he was not ready for the smile that was on her angelic face and he was clearly not ready for the effect her voice had on him.

She pulled her hand back and Damon regained control of his emotions.

"No, really, it was my fault; I wasn't watching where I was going. The least I can do is buy you another set of drinks," he offered.

* * *

><p><em>*- liver cancer<em>

* * *

><p><strong>N: Si that was the first chapter, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Don't forget to drop a review if you enjoyed it – it's the only way you can let me know you did so.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**N: Hello my dear readers. So last chapter we learned a bit about Damon, now it's Elena's turn to have a place in the spotlight. I hope you'll enjoy this. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to ask.**

**Thank you Valerie (2serendipity) for proofreading this, you are amazing…but you already know that.**

* * *

><p><strong>Deathly fragrance <strong>

As soon as Elena entered the room, her assistant jumped off her chair and poured her a fresh cup of coffee. She handed it to her, along with a napkin.

"Thank you, Bonnie," Elena whispered. "I need you to do something for me."

"Of course, what do you need me to do?"

"There is a flower-arrangement on my desk, right?" Elena asked impatiently, and Bonnie noted that the bouquet must be important.

"Yes mam', it came in ten minutes ago."

"Perfect. I need you to deliver it as soon as I am done with the finishing touches. You will have to go personally, because I don't trust anyone else. The package must reach its destination, it is very important."

"I'll make sure it gets there. What's the address?" Bonnie asked.

"Twenty-two Marelows Avenue. It's a hotel called 'Full Moon', room 423. Remember the guy I went out with last week?"

"Yes."

"If anyone but him answers the door, or if he is not in his room, take the bouquet somewhere far from civilisation and contain it. Got it?"

"I got it."

"This is very important, Bonnie."

"It always is."

Taking a deep breath, Elena made her way into her small office. She locked the door, just in case some client decided to get lost in a flower shop. She opened the windows and took a set of keys from her purse. Using the smallest key on the silver chain, she unlocked the last drawer of her desk and took out a small bottle filled with a pale yellow liquid.

Carefully – like she was a brain surgeon at the operation table – she let a few drops pour inside the flowers. After she was done, she put the little tube back and locked the drawer. She washed her hands twice and wrapped the flowers inside a transparent blue nylon.

"Bonnie!" she called after unlocking the door and walking back to her desk.

"Ready for delivery?" the young assistant asked from the doorway and Elena nodded.

"Yes, please…be careful," Elena insisted and Bonnie gave her a reassuring smile.

After her assistant had left the building, Elena turned on the timer on her phone. She took a seat behind the old-fashioned desk and took a generous sip from her cup. Not too hot, not too cold, just the way she liked it. She relaxed in the big leather chair, enjoying the feeling of the warm liquid caressing her throat.

She finished her coffee and read her favorite magazine before returning her attention back to the screen of her cell-phone. Taking a peek at the watch on her left wrist, she decided to get ready. Her hair was a mess and she was planning to curl it.

Fifteen minutes later she was dressed in a cherry-red dress, black, long boots and an extravagant pair of earrings. She was working on the last curl. When the strand of hair fell in a beautiful spiral on her back, she ran her fingers through her hair and put on some hair spray. After stuffing a pair of gloves in her tiny purse, she picked up her phone and got out, locking the door behind her.

When her alarm went off, she was already in the cab. She stopped while excusing herself and put the phone in her purse.

"Where to, Miss?" the driver asked.

"Hotel Full Moon, please," she answered with a warm smile.

"Alright."

Twenty minutes later, Elena was in the hotel's elevator. Once the door opened, she took out a small card from inside one of her boots. She walked to room 423, passed the card through the magnetic band and the door made a soft 'click'. She pushed the door open slowly and carefully made her way inside. She spotted her 'target', lying unconscious in the middle of the living room. The bouquet she had arranged was on the small, egg-shaped table beside him.

"Perfect," she whispered to herself, putting on her long, white gloves. She dragged his body all the way to the bathroom; she undressed him carefully and placed him in the bathtub, turning the water on. When the tub filled, she turned off the tap, leaving the old man's body sway towards the bottom.

Before leaving the room, she picked up the small note from the table. Once in the elevator, she pulled out another card and went to room 565. She opened the door, used a big pair of scissors to cut the other card in tiny pieces as well as the note she'd picked up before leaving the man's room. After she'd flushed them down the toilet, she did the same with her white gloves. Cut them to pieces and got rid of them.

She got out of the hotel room and went straight towards the hotel's bar. It took her about ten seconds to spot her victim. He was young, quite good looking and sitting alone at the bar. She walked over, made some small talk, slipped the magnetic card into his pocket and disappeared.

***Target: Love***

"Come on! I feel like dancing tonight," Elena purred into the speaker.

"But we went out last night…" came the voice from the other end and Elena rolled her eyes.

"You're going all 'house wife' on me again, Caroline," she complained and the other girl let out a deep sigh.

"Fine, you win! So we'll go dancing. Where are we going?"

"What kind of a question is that? 'The Furry' of course; Matt's waiting for us. Apparently he has a new girlfriend he wants us to meet."

"Again?"

"That's what I said. I'll pick you up; be ready in an hour or so, ok?"

"Ok."

***Target: Love***

"So Ashley, what's your poison?" Elena asked, and the girl looked at her like she was crazy.

"She wants to know what you would like to drink," Caroline explained and a big smile appeared on the girl's face.

Matt had gotten a call a few minutes after Elena and Caroline arrived. He'd told them he had to run home for some papers, leaving them to entertain his date. He lived in a big house outside of town so Elena knew it would take a while for him to go there and come back. She desperately needed a drink now that she was playing 'host'. Thank God for Caroline. Caroline was nice and good with people, whereas she tended to get a little…impatient.

"White wine," the girl answered and Elena rolled her eyes. Predictable much?

"Caroline, the usual?"

"Yes," the blonde answered.

Elena made her way towards the bar with a smirk on her face. She could feel the way every man in the room was ogling her… Of course she liked the attention, which was why she'd chosen that particular ivory strapless dress that was hugging her body like a second skin.

After her order was ready, she picked up the glasses and headed back. She was half way through when suddenly her drinks flew off her hand and the liquid spread on her arms. She heard a man's voice apologizing and turned around to tell him that it was ok. No damage was done.

Their eyes met and Elena's breath caught in her throat. He had by far the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. They were blue, with a hint of black and a hint of silver, softly sparking and circled by long, black lashes that every woman would kill for. For a few seconds, or minutes – but it could have been hours as well – they just stood there, staring at each other.

Taking the small, white handkerchief from his hand, she pulled her hand back immediately. She concentrated on wiping the spilled drink off her hands. After taking a few deep breaths, her heartbeat returned to normal – almost – and she was able to turn back towards him, handing him back the small tissue.

"No, really, it was my fault; I wasn't watching where I was going. The least I can do is buy you another set of drinks," he offered.

"To be honest, I didn't pay for them," she admitted and he smiled softly from the corner of his mouth. '_My God, he is inhumanly beautiful'_ Elena thought.

Elena Gilbert was not a girl that was easy to impress. She had seen everything and done everything at least once – or so she thought. It had never happened to her before, losing her composure like this, and even if it happened only for a minute, it was still new to her.

"Well, looking at you I don't doubt you'll find someone else to buy them for you the second time around, but I insist on letting me be the one doing it this time," he said and Elena rolled her eyes – her signature move.

"My friend owns this place. I can get the drinks and none of us has to pay," she insisted.

"I'm impressed, but either way, I can still afford a Cosmopolitan, a white wine and a Sex-on-the-beach."

Ok, now she was impressed. Most guys did not even know what a Cosmopolitan was, let alone recognize one just by knocking over the glass.

"Fine, I give up, you can pay for the drinks and help me carry them to the table so they won't get knocked over again."

"I'm Damon, by the way," he said smoothly.

"I'm Elena. Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise."

After they got back to the table and Elena made the introductions, they settled in for a comfortable conversation about a new club that was about to open just a few streets away from the one they were in right now.

"I leave you two alone with my date and you already hook her up with someone else?" Matt asked, joining them and Ashley let out a giggle.

"Damon Salvatore," Damon said, getting up and offering his hand to the man that had just joined their table.

"Matt Donovan," the blond man presented himself, taking Damon's hand and giving it a firm squeeze.

"Well, now that you're finally here," Elena began, getting up from her seat. She stretched out her hand to grab her coat from the couch, but Damon was faster. He picked it up and placed it around her shoulders. "Thank you," she whispered and Damon smiled. "Like I was saying, now that you've finally arrived, I'm going home. I have a big day tomorrow…"

"Why is that?" Damon asked before thinking. _'Is she going to be killing someone?' _he asked himself.

"Well, if you must know, I own a little flower shop and tomorrow is Valentine's Day."

"Oh, that's nice."

Elena picked up her purse from the table, gave Caroline a short hug and put a 20$ bill on the table. "This is for Anna," she said, looking at Matt.

"You're spoiling her," he protested.

"I know," she answered simply and started walking slowly towards the exit. She turned around once she reached the door and blew Matt an air kiss, only to realize that Damon was right behind her.

"I just want to see you to your car," he explained.

"I can take care of myself," she objected and Damon immediately thought that a killer could indeed take care of herself. But he had to be on his best behaviour, not because he was afraid of her, but because he had to make her like him enough to make sure she would want to see him again.

"I'm sure you can, but it will give me tremendous pleasure to make sure you get to your car in complete safety."

"Oh, what a gentleman," she replied and Damon could not tell if she was serious or just being sarcastic.

They walked in silence through the parking lot.

"Well, this is me," she said stopping in front of a dark gray Nissan Altima coupe. "Thank you for walking me, Damon," his name came out as a soft whisper.

Damon took a few steps forward, stopping right in front of her. Without warning, he buried his fingers in her hair and pressed his lips on hers. It was just a nice, soft kiss; no pressure, no tongue, just two sets of lips brushing one another.

When he pulled back, Elena opened her eyes, ready to tell him how inappropriate his gesture had been, but he spoke first.

"Good night, Elena. I hope I'll see you again sometime," he said, turning around and walking away from her without looking back.

Frustrated, Elena jumped in the driver's seat. She pulled out her phone from her purse and looked through her contacts until she found the one she was looking for. She pressed 'dial' and waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Elijah, where are you?" she asked once she realized that there was music playing in the background.

"At a bar, why?"

"I want to see you tonight."

"I'll be home in an hour, two hours tops. Just wait for me there. You still have the key, right?"

"Yes… Hurry home, would you?"

"Someone's horny," he mocked.

"You have no idea."

"Ok, give me half an hour," he said, and a cocky grin formed on Elena's face.

* * *

><p><strong>N: More on Elena will come up as the story progresses. Please don't forget to drop me a review with your thoughts.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**N: Why you no review? You no like this? Too bad, I am still planning on continuing it, lol. It's fun to wright.**

**First I just want to tell you this: I do NOT ship Elena and Elijah in the show and I never will, but I find Elijah very attractive man in a smooth, refined way and I see him as a real man that can handle the Elena I want to portray in this story. Enjoy!**

**Thank you Valerie (2serendipity) for proofreading, you're amazing dear.**

* * *

><p><strong>Unsatisfied<strong>

Elena woke up the next morning, next to a still sleeping Elijah. After quietly listening to his soft snores for about fifteen minutes, she pushed the covers off her half naked body and dragged herself to the edge of the bed. Her dress was bunched up, only covering her stomach. She pulled the material over her breasts and arranged the dress as best she could before disappearing into the bathroom.

For the first time in over three years, she was unsatisfied after a night with Elijah. It had not been bad, but it had not rocked her world either. Something was missing.

She had started an affair with Elijah Smith three and a half years ago, when they happened to have the same 'target'. Ever since they'd kept this 'friends with benefits' thing going on. It was easy. They kept out of each other's personal lives, they kept their relationship a secret and they did not ask questions. She needed a real man to satisfy her, and Elijah had been doing a very good job – until now.

Even if all evidence pointed that way, Elena refused to believe that the guy she'd met at the bar last night had anything to do with her little problem. She practically been drooling when she saw him…yes, she'd wanted him, how could she not? He was sex on legs! She was still a woman and her body had reacted to his remarkable beauty. But right now, it was time for her to get that angelic image out of her mind and move on. She would probably never see him again anyway.

"Elena, are you ok in there?" she heard Elijah's calm voice ask from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, I'll be right out," she answered.

"Everything ok?" he asked again after she got out of the bathroom. "You seem…distracted," he commented and she just shrugged indifferently.

"Just work."

"That was one of the rules, remember? No work-related problems allowed in the bedroom," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and kissing her neck. Elena let out a soft moan and let hear head fall back to rest on his shoulder. His tongue came out to play right underneath her ear and she could feel herself getting wet all over again. She was a very sexual being and Elijah knew that. It was her only weakness.

"Then we should take this into the kitchen, because not only am I in great need of coffee, but I also need to talk to you about your next mission," Elena said, pushing him away. He snorted loudly, but followed her out of the room.

"I didn't get the file yet," he said as soon as they entered the kitchen.

"I know. You won't receive it because it's been passed on to me."

"Why would Klaus take one of my 'targets' and give it to you?" he asked, sounding surprised. She wasn't offended though; she'd had pretty much the same reaction when Klaus told her she had to take one of Elijah's new files.

"Normally, I'm not allowed to share this type of information, you know that. But since I consider you my ally, I will tell you. However, I would appreciate it if this remained between us," she said and Elijah mumbled an 'of course'. "The name of my next target is Rebekah Michaelson."

There was a long moment of silence, and Elena thought she might just witness Elijah break down for the first time. He didn't though.

"Why would I have a problem killing this Rebekah girl?" he asked, and Elena raised an eyebrow at him.

"You mean you don't know?" she asked.

"Know what?"

"Your father's name is Michaelson. She is your half-sister…"

"Oh…" Elijah pulled a chair from the table and took a seat. Elena placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of him and his hands went around it automatically.

Elena let out a soft sigh. She got it. More than 99% of the people she worked with had no family… no one to care about. That was the reason they were all so good at their jobs, so cold blooded – they were disconnected from the world and everything around it. Of course, they dated, they had sex – great sex even, they made friends and had good working relations with their colleagues, but at the end of the day, they were always ready to move on. Of course, she had her brother, but he was half away across the continent and they talked only once a week. They had been separated after their parents died and they'd lost their connection a long time ago. She cared about Matt, Caroline, Tyler and even Bonnie, her goofy, but brilliant assistant. But these people were not family, and her connection with them was a superficial one.

"Maybe we could arrange something," he finally said in a low, tormented voice and Elena cursed herself for bringing up the subject.

"I'm sorry, Elijah, but she has to go. She's an agent and she's working on a case about Klaus. There's nothing you can do; I just thought you might like to know why Klaus took a file away from you to give it to me."

"I appreciate you telling me."

"I thought you would."

"Let's say I'm Rebekah. How much time do I have?" Elijah asked, looking at her for the first time since he'd found out she would have to kill his half-sister.

"I'd say about sixteen hours," Elena answered, washing the cup and placing it on a white napkin. "Good luck," she kissed Elijah on the cheek, "and thanks for the coffee," she whispered before taking her purse and getting out. She knew that Elijah would try to stop her now. May the best one win!

***Target: Love***

A loud, sharp noise woke Damon from a very peaceful sleep and had him immediately jumping off the mattress. He put on his boxers and his jeans, not bothering to cover his upper body as well. As soon as he realized that the high-pitched sound was coming from the apartment's smoke alarm, he made his way towards the small hallway between the kitchen and the living room.

"I am soooo sorry," he heard a woman's voice coming from the kitchen. He turned around and saw Andie in the kitchen doorway. She was desperately trying to reach the alarm to disconnect it, but it was too high for her. Since she was wearing his shirt and her hands were in the air, he could clearly see that she hadn't even bothered to put on any underwear.

"I tried to cook something," she said apologetically and Damon could not help but be amused by her pouty face. Not only was she a hot CIA agent, but she was also a great computer scientist, and here she was, completely incapable to cook the simplest food.

"Don't worry about it," Damon said softly as he made his way towards her. It took Damon less than a minute to stop the alarm.

"Thank God, that thing was about to give me a headache," Andie said in relief and Damon smirked.

"What were you trying to cook?" he asked curiously.

"Grilled cheese," she answered with a shy smile.

"I like grilled cheese. What do you say if next time we take it from the Bistro downstairs and you don't end up burning down my apartment?"

"Sounds great and less painful to the ears," she admitted. She turned around, ready to walk back into the kitchen and clean up the mess she'd made when Damon caught her wrist and pulled her back, forcing her to turn and face him.

"Leave it be," he ordered. "Pearl will take care of it later. Now, how about you get that sexy ass back into my bed?" he asked playfully, pressing her body against his. She gasped at the contact and moaned once she felt his erection poking her lower abdomen.

***Target: Love***

It was the third night in a row that Elena went to 'The Furry' in hopes of finding the blue-eyed man that her mind refused to let go of.

"Would you like another drink?" the barman asked, pulling her out of her reverie.

"Yes, she would," a smooth, masculine voice came from behind her, giving her chills down her spine. She turned around and her chocolate brown eyes came in contact with icy-blue ones.

"Look who finally decided to show up," Elena exclaimed and Damon smirked. She nodded, letting the barman know she was accepting the drink before concentrating her attention back on the man she had been waiting three days to see again.

"I decided it was time to get to know you. I was hoping I'd find you here."

"Oh, you mean you came here just to find me? I'm flattered," Elena said sweetly.

"You should be."

"Cocky much?"

"_Very_ much."

"I can't stay long; I have a very busy day tomorrow."

"Didn't you already use that excuse last time?" Damon asked, and she smiled. She picked up her drink and made her way towards one of the VIP tables.

"Are we supposed to be here?'

"It's my table. Matt keeps it empty just for me and my friends," Elena whispered, taking a seat on the comfortable couch.

"Yeah, I forgot you have well placed friends," Damon murmured.

"That I do. So…what do you do for a living?" she asked.

"Family business. I own a winery in Sicily, Italy."

"Impressive," Elena said, taking a sip from her drink.

***Target: Love***

Almost two hours later Elena was sure he would ask her over to his place. He was clearly flirting with her. She knew how this worked; she had played this game more than a few times before. She loved this part…the part where she had the upper hand, where it was for her to decide whether they would continue this at his apartment or he'd go home alone.

Just when she was about to take the cherry from her glass, using only her lips and the straw, his phone went off.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to take this," Damon said. He picked up his phone from the table and rushed towards the exit.

"This better be important, Amy," he snapped even before the person on the other line could say 'hello'.

"The guy she went on a date with a week and a half ago was just found dead in his room at the hotel 'Full Moon'. The police rapport says he suffered a minor stroke, but he drowned in the bathtub. I thought you might want to know."

"Yes, thank you, Amy."

"You're welcome, uh…and boss…be careful," she said softly, the shy tone of her voice bringing a smile on Damon's face. He knew Amy had a crush on him; and he liked Amy, but she was too…nice and shy for him.

"I always am,' he protested and heard her sigh.

"See you tomorrow."

"Good night, Amy."

After a few more minutes of reflections, he went back inside the bar.

"Sorry about that. People in Italy don't bother thinking about the time difference," he said, and Elena smiled. "I think your phone's buzzing," he continued and Elena took a quick peek at her phone. Bonnie's name was showing in bright orange on the purple screen.

"It can wait," she said, ignoring the call. "Where were we?"

"You were about to tell me about your first kiss…with Matt," he said. Elena took another sip of her fresh drink and licked her lips a few times. Her eyes locked with his and even if the club was packed, they both had the impression that they were the only ones there. The moment lasted until Damon cleared his throat as Elena's phone went off again.

"I'm going to take this," she said, grabbing her phone and disappearing outside, just like Damon a few minutes ago.

"Yes, Bon, what is it?" she asked annoyed.

"Jonas Martin, plastic surgeon for celebrities, was found dead in his hotel suite yesterday morning by his son who had come to LA to spend the weekend with his father. The doctors are talking about a minor stroke, which resulted in him collapsing and drowning in the bathtub. Shall I go on?"

"No," Elena said, giggling, "It's enough, thank you. If anything else comes up, I wish to be informed."

"Sure thing. Good night, Elena."

"Good night, Bonnie."

Elena went back inside just in time to watch Damon put on his leather jacket.

"You're leaving?"

"I'm afraid I have to…"

"The phone call?"

"Yes," he said simply. "But we should definitely do this again sometime," and with that he was gone. There was no kiss this time, and Elena was left with a very painful need for one.

* * *

><p><strong>N: Drop me a review? Pretty please.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**N: A new chapter. Baby girl – you know who you are – wanted to read a bit on Bonnie, so here it is, hope you'll enjoy it. Some good old sexual tension as well; you know me.**

**Thank you Valerie (2serendipity) for beta-ing this, girl you're just amazing.**

* * *

><p><strong>In your honor<strong>

"That's it? That's all you were able to find?" a very frustrated Elena called from her office. Bonnie let out a soft sigh and made her way inside.

"I'm sorry, but that's everything," Bonnie mumbled. She knew Elena liked to have as many details about someone as possible, but the truth was that this guy was actually pretty clean. He had a few parking tickets that he'd dutifully paid. He had a brother who lived in Italy, where he himself owned a big winery as well as some kind of ranch, but he hadn't visited the place in two years. There were a few exes, a few friends. All in all, nothing unusual.

"At least he's not married," Elena murmured to herself and her assistant just shrugged. She remembered that the last guy her boss went out with, turned out to be married, but she did not want to make a big deal out of it. This new guy had definitely not married or engaged, she checked.

"You're really hot for this guy, aren't you?" Bonnie asked.

"Have you seen him?" Elena returned sarcastically.

"Not really. There was a picture, but it wasn't clear."

"That explains it. I swear, if you see him you might switch to men."

"No way!"

"Did you ever try having a relationship with a guy?" Elena asked.

"Yes, didn't end well. His name was Lucas and he actually believed he had supernatural abilities. Can you believe that?"

"Seriously? Did he think he was Superman?"

"No, he thought he was Harry Potter."

"Oh…a wizard!"

"He told me the actual term is 'warlock'."

Elena couldn't help the soft giggle that came out of her mouth. No wonder her assistant had changed sides after such a bad experience.

"Told you it was bad!"

"So, I take it you guys broke up, right? Or did he turn himself into a frog?" Elena joked, but she soon noticed that Bonnie's expression had changed.

"He was actually a good guy…" she said softly and Elena nodded. She didn't know what else to do or say. "…he died in a fire a few weeks after we broke up. Apparently he was trying to perform 'a love spell' to get me back. His 'spells' always involved a lot of candles and there were so many oils and papers lying around… As soon as one thing went wrong, the whole place burned down in a matter of minutes. His father was just coming home from work and tried to save him, but it was too late."

"I'm sorry…" Elena whispered. She wasn't good with the whole emotional crap. It wasn't like she didn't have emotion of feelings; she just didn't act on them. She had taken the decision many years ago not to let emotions rule her life and she fully intended to keep the promise she'd made to herself.

"Thank you, it was bad, but that's when I met Anna."

"Awww, so romantic," Elena said in a sweet voice and Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Stop mocking me. I know you don't believe in soul-mates, but I do."

"Sorry, Bon-Bon, but the idea of just _one_ person that's right for you makes no actual sense. It sounds unreal, not to mention boring."

"It's not boring once you find the right person," Bonnie protested.

"Whatever you say. You enjoy your monogamy, and I will enjoy my freedom."

"See, you see commitment as a trap, as a cage, but it's not. I pray that you'll find your own soul-mate one day so you'll realize I was right."

"You're such an idealist," Elena scoffed.

***Target: Love***

"Damon, where the hell have you been? I've been calling you for the last hour!" Alaric shouted as soon as he closed the door and made his way towards the middle of the room.

"She has a video on the Internet, man, did you know that?" Damon asked, ignoring his friend's obvious bad mood.

Alaric continued his way towards Damon's desk and took a seat on the edge, looking at the screen.

"She looks good," Alaric mumbled.

"She does, doesn't she?" Damon asked rhetorically. His eyes were practically glued to the illuminated screen.

"That's a wild cat you've got there, my friend! Are you sure you can handle her?" Alaric asked with a malicious grin on his face.

"You know I can. Plus, you're too old for her," Damon answered, playfully punching Alaric's shoulder.

"Oh, Mr. Salvatore, I'm sorry, he just sneaked in, I don't know how…" a very disturbed Amy mumbled from the door-way. Damon looked at Alaric, then back at his assistant.

"This old fox? He could sneak in on the president while he's peeing and no one would notice," he said and Alaric just shrugged indifferently. "It's ok, Amy. Just take the rest of the day off, I'll leave as well in a few minutes," the girl nodded and disappeared behind the door.

Alaric pulled a small, white envelope from his chest pocket and handed it to Damon.

"What is it?" Damon asked, intrigued.

"Invitation to a ball," Alaric answered simply.

"Seriously, you're sending me to a ball?" Damon asked in disbelief.

"Your wild cat is being honored at this particular ball," Alaric said and Damon raised an eyebrow at him.

"A paid assassin honored at a society ball…and you say irony's lost on people."

"_Supposedly_ paid assassin, Damon. How many times do I have to tell you that one is innocent until proven guilty!"

"She is one, I can tell."

"Well, our girl's apparently the head of a very profitable cancer foundation."

"You gave me two tickets," Damon said, pulling out two pink tickets from the envelope.

"You can't go to a charity ball alone, you dick-head."

"Watch your language, brother! I could break your arm and have you flying through that window," he pointed to the large window behind Alaric, "in less than a minute."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Don't tempt me, Saltzman!"

"Bring it on, Salvatore! I used to train guys like you."

"I used to 'kill' guys like you," Damon returned.

"Are you going to hold it against me for the rest of your life that I used to be the enemy?" Alaric asked and Damon nodded.

"Are you kidding me? Pass on the opportunity to tease you about your dark past? No way, man."

"Fine, be like that, but you're taking Andie Star to the ball. Or you could take your young assistant; she sure has the body for it."

"You stay away from my assistant! I swear, sometimes I think you're worse than me."

"Not possible. Are there any hot females working for the CIA that you haven't 'checked' on the inside yet?"

"Yes, my assistant! She's a kid, man."

"Fine, I'll keep my distance, I promise. Now go shave! You look like shit."

***Target: Love***

The bullet passed a millimetre away from her ear. She fucking herd it whistle. The soft sound was now still echoing in her ears.

"Are you fucking serious?" Elena asked. She tilted her head and watched Elijah slowly walk towards her. The tip of the gun was still pointing between her eyes.

"I'm sorry…" Elijah said and Elena rolled her eyes. "She's my sister."

"You don't even know her!"

"And if you kill her, I never will."

"You know Klaus will kill you when he hears about this, right?"

"I'll be gone long before that happens."

"He'll come looking for you," Elena said.

"Yes, I know. But there's only one person who works for him that is capable of finding me…"

"I'll have to…"

"I'm hoping you'll change your mind, but until then, back off or I swear I'll shoot."

"Elijah…" Elena let out a sigh.

"Don't you have a fancy ball to go to? It is in your honor after all. That will give me enough time to get Rebekah out of the country."

"You're an idiot if you think that's gonna work. You think she will thank you after she finds out what you've been doing for the past nine years? She's an agent! Everything's black and white to them."

"At least she'll be alive to make that decision."

"If Klaus sends me after you two, and don't think he won't, I'll have to find you…"

"I guess there are some things we just have to do."

***Target: Love***

Her dress was too tight, her heels were too high and her hair just refused to stay straight. Everything was chaos around Elena.

She was wearing an ivory white gown. The edges were black as well as the bottom and a small line at her waist. The material was tightly hugging her body, accentuating every curve, and her silver, seven inches high sandals made her legs look like they might never end.

Finally, she decided to curl her hair since there was no way it was going to stay straight all night and trying to make it stay was driving her crazy. She put on her mother's peals, sprayed on some perfume and painted her lips with a soft, peach flavored gloss.

"You look magnificent," Klaus said from the bottom of the stairs.

"Thank you, you don't look so bad yourself," she answered and he smiled. That little dimple appeared on his right cheek and she couldn't help but appreciate his beauty. She wondered why he was still single and came up with only one reason: he was playing for the other team. Of course, she had no actual proof of that.

"Shall we?" he asked offering her his arm.

"Sure."

***Target: Love***

After her short speech, Elena was in serious need of a drink. All those people smiling at her and pretending to like her were exhausting.

"Gin and tonic, please," she told the barman and he nodded with a smile, starting to prepare her drink.

"Well, well, if it isn't the one and only Elena Gilbert. I didn't know you were also a philanthropist?"

She smirked softly at the sound of his voice caressing her _hair cells*_.

"How did you get in?"

"I…happen to have an invitation," Damon answered. He told the barman that he wanted a glass of Cognac, and Elena raised an eyebrow at him.

"They have a fifty-seven year-old Cognac that's truly the best. You should know that since it's written on the invitation that our lovely host picked out the menu and the drinks."

"Do you believe everything you read, Mr. Salvatore?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"Only if I'm the one who wrote it. I am just teasing you."

"I know, you've been teasing me for a week…" Elena said looking at him from beneath her lashes.

"Have I?"

She picked up her drink. "If you'll excuse me, I have some people to fake-smile at," she said, and disappeared.

* * *

><p><em>*- auditory receptors<em>

* * *

><p><strong>N: Hope you like this; you'll get MORE sexual tension in the next chapter. Review and let me know what you thought about this one first.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**N: Hello there, hope you're still interested in this story. Here's the new chapter, hope you'll like it. Also, I have a question for you: which character you'd like me to involve in the story plot-line more? Rebekah, Elijah, Klaus, Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, Matt, Andie, Jeremy or Amy, uh? **

**Thank you Valerie (2serendipity) for looking over this so fast.**

* * *

><p><strong>One step closer<strong>

The tempo of the song changed and everyone swapped partners. Elena let go of Klaus' hand and she immediately felt a pair of strong hands around her waist, lifting her up. Once the man put her down, she recognized him.

"Damon," she whispered and he smirked. Elena had decided a few days ago - actually she'd decided it from the first hour they'd spent together - that that half-smile of his couldn't have looked cockier, but there was something about it that made her smile back.

"Is it fake when you smile at me too?" he asked, referring to her words.

This time it was Elena's turn to smirk at him. "That's for me to know and for you to, dot, dot, dot…" she murmured and Damon thought she looked damn sexy with that playful smile on her face and that naughty light in her eyes.

To say that Damon had gotten to know many women over the years would be an understatement. From the age of sixteen, he'd started using what Mother Nature had so generously provided him with. Pleasing women had always come naturally to him, and he'd adored doing it, so by the early age of eighteen, he'd already made himself quite a reputation as a womanizer. Young women, blonds, brunettes, married, single, in short: any woman that was beautiful and smart enough to get his attention was like a little miracle to him. He loved them all, but he wasn't 'in love' with any of them.

The thing was that this girl, the girl that was presently in his arms, intrigued him. There was something special about her. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he would soon. With a smile on his lips, he twirled her around twice before pulling her against his chest in one abrupt move. She gasped at the contact, giving him the satisfaction he was hoping for.

"You're good at this," she said.

"That's nothing. I've got moves you haven't seen before," he murmured in her ear. His moist, soft lips brushed the outline of her ear and the contact made her body shiver slightly. The effect he seemed to have on her body was driving her crazy. Yes, she wanted him, she wanted him badly, but that wasn't the only thing. There was something else, something chemical that pulled her towards him.

If only a brief touch made her body shiver, she could only imagine how it would feel like to really 'be' with him. To have his hot, perfect body slide against hers. To feel those smooth lips nibble at her aching breasts. To experience his hands and fingers caress her burning skin, all over her body, in every sense. She could almost hear his soft growls of pleasure and her own heavy breathing. She shivered again.

Captured by the moment and the slow Latino song that had just started, she turned around, fitting her round bottom perfectly in his lap and swinging her hips on the rhythm. As any Latino song, it was slow, sensual and compelling. They seemed to be made for each other, because they fit to perfection. He matched her every move like he was born to dance with her and her alone.

She pushed her ass up and down a few times and he let out a growl that made Elena moan softly. She thought he might sound good doing it, but she wasn't expecting that kind of sound to come out of his mouth. In that moment she wanted nothing more than to push him against a wall and undress him. Then she would let him roll up her tight dress and fuck her senseless.

Before she had the chance to do anything however, Damon turned her around again and pushed her back into Klaus' arms.

"You look like you just had vertical sex," Klaus commented and she gave him a warning glance. He just smiled – more like a giggle but without the sound. He danced with her for another song before she excused herself to go to the restroom.

When she got out of the ladies' room, she bumped into a man.

"Well, what are the chances?" Damon asked in an amused voice. "Looks like no matter what you do, you'll always end up with me."

"Are you going all stalker on me now?" she asked, smiling.

"Only in a cute, non-dangerous way," he answered and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I didn't know there was a cute way to stalk someone," Elena said, giggling. He seemed to have a secret, magical way to make her smile like a little girl.

"Certainly there is. So, how about a drink with your sexy stalker out on the beautiful terrace?" he asked.

"Alright," she agreed and they made their way to the bar, got their drinks and went outside. It was already late so the darkness was enough to give them a little privacy. There was an old couple that left as soon as Elena and Damon stepped outside, and Elena wondered if they did it because they thought she and Damon were a pair of young lovers looking for a place to cuddle.

"Are you cold?" he asked as she shivered lightly when he placed his hand on the small of her back. Her shivers had nothing to do with being cold.

"A little," she lied.

Damon took off his blazer and placed it around her shoulders. "Thank you," she said smiling. "I guess now's the part where we have that 'epic conversation' and a few days later we're madly in love with each other, right?" she asked and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Ouch. The sarcasm…"

"Sorry, I'm not the romantic type," she said apologetically.

"Oh, so you don't think I'm some kind of prince charming ready to sweep you off your feet?"

"If you're prince charming, where's your white horse?" she asked playfully.

"I have a white Audi Roadster. Does that count?"

"Do you want to sweep me off my feet?"

"Is it working?"

"I'm certainly plenty charmed," she answered and he smirked.

Damon took a step closer and Elena could smell his spicy, masculine cologne. He smelled amazing, making her lightheaded for a few seconds. She decided to meet him half way through so she took a step forward as well. They were now so close that their bodies were touching. Elena had to look up because he was taller than she was. It revealed her long, smooth neck. Damon always did have a weakness for that particular part of a woman's anatomy and he thought hers looked just perfect.

Without thinking twice, he curled his right arm around her waist, pulling her against him. His lips barely touched hers at first, but she felt electric shocks going through her body. He slowly brushed her hair, burying his fingers into her silky curls, and finally the tip of his tongue teased her bottom lip. Elena let out a soft sigh. It allowed Damon to push his tongue inside her warm mouth. Their tongues engaged in a battle for dominance that was won by Damon who'd changed the pace of the kiss. Elena wanted it fast, she wanted to take him in all at once, but he was having none of it. He was kissing her slowly, savouring the nectar of her mouth with each stroke of his tongue.

He pulled back an inch and traced the outline of her lips, then he pulled at her hair lightly to change the position of her mouth before taking possession of it. Elena raised her hands, which made the blazer Damon had given her fall at her feet, but none of them seemed to even notice. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing her hips forward to fit between his legs.

They were the perfect picture for the cover of a romantic novel. Elena's slim, feminine figure in Damon's strong arms, her chocolate brown curls cascading over his hands and her slim fingers in his hair, their light color contrasting with the darkness of his hair.

Damon couldn't remember the last time he'd wanted to rip off a dress to get a woman naked. Right now, the woman in his arms was making him crazy and his animalistic senses were crawling towards the surface. If he was being honest with himself, he'd wanted her since the moment he'd knocked over her drinks. Not just for her beauty either, since he'd been with many beautiful women before. There was something else that made him want her, something about her energy. Damon had always thought the saying 'no mixing business with pleasure' was only true for the weak. He simply adored mixing business with pleasure; it was what made it all the more thrilling.

A soft moan escaped her throat, making Damon's body react. She sounded fucking amazing and he couldn't help thinking how amazing she would sound screaming his name.

"I have a room upstairs," Damon whispered in her ear after they finally pulled apart.

"How convenient," she hissed.

"Yup," was all he had to say about her comment.

"I'm being honored, so it's practically a party for me. I can't leave now," Elena protested. It wasn't like she didn't want to, because she definitely did, but it would be impossible for her to sneak out without anyone noticing she was missing.

"I know. I don't mean you have to leave right this moment. Here," he said, placing a cold card in her hand. "That's the magnetic key; you have the room number on it as well. I'll be there tonight."

"You're awfully trusty to give me the key of your room. I'm practically a stranger to you," Elena told him in a playful tone.

"Well, I guess if you dedicate your free time to raising money for those who aren't fortunate enough to have it you won't kill me in my sleep, right?" he said with a smile.

Elena returned his smile, but the irony of the situation didn't go unnoticed. If only he knew just how many people she'd killed in their sleep… She was certainly not the person you wanted to give the key to your room to. Of course, none of that stopped her from firmly squeezing the key in her hand.

Damon winked at her before vanishing and leaving her alone on the dark terrace. She took a look at the card he'd given her and read out loud: "Room 3218". Elena knew the hotel well enough to know that the room was not a simple room but a suite, a luxurious one even.

She walked from the terrace straight to the wardrobe. She asked for her purse and put the slim card inside. She just needed to be with him once to get him out of her system, because the way she couldn't stop thinking about him was simply ridiculous.

"Uh…boss…" she heard a weak voice from behind her.

"Bonnie? What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised to see her assistant standing there. Bonnie hated everything that had to do with ridiculously rich people gathered in one place, playing the role of the Good Samaritan.

"I found Elijah," she said and Elena motioned her to go on. "He just left the country, 35 minutes ago."

"Where to?"

"To New Mexico," Bonnie replied, pushing her thin glasses further up her little nose. She didn't have time to put in her contact lenses as she rushed over to give her boss the news. Elena had called her after her 'accidental meeting' with Elijah and told her to track him down. She'd told her that if Elijah Smith took so much as a poop in a public restroom, she wanted to know about it.

"Are you sure he was on the plane?"

"All passengers were aboard."

"This is too easy," Elena commented, more to herself than to Bonnie.

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind. Book me a flight to New Mexico for tomorrow morning; Klaus will make sure the papers say that I've arrived at the destination."

"So you're not actually going?" Bonnie asked, confused.

"It could be a trap. It must be a trap! Elijah's not that stupid. He would never make the mistake to let me know where he was going."

"I'll be on my way then."

"Good night, Bonnie."

Elena tipped the young girl and took her coat and purse. She spotted Klaus by the bar and immediately made her way towards him.

"Something came up. I have to go now. Would you take care of this?" she asked once she was close enough.

"Sure, we'll talk in the morning. I'll expect you in my office," he said and she nodded. "Oh, and Elena, before ten, please." She nodded again and made her way outside. She jumped into the first cab she found.

"Hello," she said and the old man smiled at her. "Circle the neighbourhood twice, make sure no one's following you then drive into the underground parking, second level."

"They don't let cabs in there, ma'am."

"They'll let you in," Elena assured him.

About half an hour later Elena was in front of the door to Damon's suite.

"I'll take that," she said as she grabbed a bottle of champagne and two glasses from a passing waiter's tray.

"But…"

"Here, just replace it," she said. "You can put it on his tab," she nodded towards the door, and the guy started excusing himself.

"Sorry, ma'am, I didn't know," he mumbled.

"No worries. Just make sure you keep a large tip for yourself as well," she winked and he smiled shyly.

She watched the boy disappear behind the elevator door and knocked on the door. "Room service," she yelled and she heard Damon ask her to just come on in, so she slipped the card in the slot and the door unlocked with a soft clicking sound. She pushed it open and went inside.

She almost dropped the bottle at the sight of Damon's half-naked body. He had a white fluffy towel around his hips that made him look tanned and his hair look even darker. Clearly he'd only towel-dried his hair, and it was a sexy mess. A few drops of water shamelessly slid down his upper body and Elena gulped at the thought of her lips catching those naughty drops.

"Is that cold?" he asked, pointing at the bottle in her hand.

"Yes."

"Then I think you deserve a very large tip," he purred as he made his way towards her like a predator. His eyes were keeping her steady, waiting for him to take her.

* * *

><p><strong>N: Ahhh…how bad am I right now for living you guys like this? Want the next part soon? Review and let me know.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**N: Finally an update! Sorry for the log wait, the lack of reviews made me lose my inspiration for a while. **

**Thank you Valerie (2serendipity) for the beta work.**

* * *

><p><strong>Who's on top?<strong>

"Then I think you deserve a very large tip," he purred as he made his way towards her like a predator. His eyes were keeping her steady, waiting for him to take her.

"Hmmmm," Elena's eyes opened wide as an invitation.

"Excuse me while I put on something less comfortable," he said. He picked up his clothes from the bed and went back into the bathroom. Elena wanted to tell him that she is good with the way he is dressed, but words just didn't seem ready to come out of her mouth, so she just watched him go. Five minutes later he came back. She was in the same place as before, she didn't move an inch.

With two big steps Damon got in front of her. He took the champagne bottle from her hand and opened it. He made it look so easy; Elena just knew it wasn't the first time. For some reason, she decided that all men should know how to open a bottle like he just did. He made it look…sensual in a way.

"Glasses, please," he said and Elena handed him the champagne glasses.

She drank the half-full glass in one breath then placed the empty glass by the edge of the table. She took a step back and just stared at the beautiful man in front of her. Without any warning she just reached over and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her lips attacked his, and everything played out just like she knew it would: the bubbles left from the champagne mixed with _his_ unique taste and made her senses go crazy. The taste was… unique, perfect and addictive. She'd never thought she would ever describe a kiss as magical, but any other words would have been too weak to represent how she felt.

"This champagne tastes unbelievable off your tongue," he murmured against her lips. Elena couldn't help but take a minute and think about the fact that he always seemed to say the right words at the right time. It was like it would be enough for her to think about something and he would do it or say it. She felt like he knew her; of course that was impossible. No one actually knew her. If he would get to know the real her, he would most certainly run away. He would think she was a monster and he would be right. She was nothing… nothing more than a beautiful monster. She didn't deserve love, care or understanding. Elena was okay with that; she'd come to terms with that a long time ago.

Ever since she was a little girl, she'd learned how to take care of herself. Losing her parents so early in life had made her tough; it had made her a fighter. She'd realized soon enough that the only person she could count on was herself.

Her thoughts slowly became foggy and meaningless as Damon's tongue reached that sensitive spot right where her neck met her shoulder. Elena let out a soft moan and her head fell backwards. What he was doing with his tongue on her flesh couldn't be put in simple words. All Elena could think about at the moment was him: the way he smelled, the way he felt, and the amazing feelings she got every time he touched her.

"You smell incredible," he murmured against her skin. "Dior?" He asked referring to the perfume she was wearing.

"J'adore. It's my favorite. I'm impressed, most guys don't have a clue about perfumes," she said, smiling.

"I just have a really good memory."

"That's not always a good thing."

"And why is that?"

"Never mind," Elena mumbled. Her fingers were eagerly working on opening the tiny buttons of his shirt. For some reason her hands decided to start shaking and she was having a difficult time completing the task. _'What's wrong with you?'_ she asked herself. She wasn't a teenager about to lose her virginity, so why the mixed emotions and the nerves.

"When did you take off my tie?" He asked surprised. He finally managed to take his eyes off her and look around the room. He immediately noticed his black-tie resting on the floor just a few steps away from them.

"I'm sneaky like that," she winked.

Before Elena got a chance to say anything else, Damon grabbed her hand and turned her around, pressing her back against his chest. It was hard and well-shaped, and it felt as good as it looked. She was beginning to feel weak in the knees and a tingling sensation started between her legs. He took both her hands into his and placed her left palm on her hip while rearranging her right one on her neck. First he just brushed her own fingers along the smooth line of her throat, going from one shoulder to another over her collarbone and the outline of her breasts, to finish on her flat abdomen. Their hands rested there for about fifteen seconds before starting all over again, only he applied more pressure this time.

Elena closed her eyes and let her head fall on his shoulder, a blissful sigh falling off her lips. Damon let go of her hands and caressed her, using just his own hands. She felt the heat all over her body. His moves were slow and precise, making her head spin. She wanted to scream and yell and scratch, but it didn't feel right. It felt like she might break the spell, that erotic bubble surrounding them. All sorts of thoughts were running around her head, none of them accurate. She couldn't remember the last time she'd let a man take her over like that. It felt good. She thought she should perhaps be scared, but she wasn't. For some reason Damon was making her feel safe.

She didn't even know him; he was nothing more than a stranger, but from the moment she'd laid eyes on him, she knew she had to be in his arms. There was something special about this guy. She didn't know exactly what made him special yet, but she planned to figure it out.

His hand found this the zipper of her dress and without losing any time, he pulled it down. The clothing fell at her feet, leaving her in a pair of small boy shorts and high heels. He cupped her breasts and started massaging them in slow motion. He removed one hand from her chest and used it to brush her hair aside, revealing her neck and back. When his lips finally made contact with skin, she felt electrical shocks running through her body. His touches were making every inch of her come to life. After he'd made sure he'd kissed, licked and nibbled all over her neck, back and shoulders, he finally turned her around.

When she opened her eyes, she found his blue lasers scanning her. The look in his eyes was so intense that he made her lose her balance for a second. Their eyes locked and everything else ceased to matter.

"Hold on, love, you're about to go for a ride," Damon said, smirking.

Before Elena could come up with a snappy comeback, he picked her up and started walking towards the bed. Carefully, he placed her on the edge and pushed her upper body against the mattress. He took a step back and just looked at her for a few seconds.

"You're beautiful."

"Thank you; you don't look too bad yourself."

"It's not that I don't like them," he said taking off her underwear. "They just have to come off." After taking off her panties, he took off her heels as well. She was now lying completely bare before him. She tried to push herself up to take off his pants, but he didn't let her. He pushed her back to the bed. "Patience, love, just relax and let me take care of you."

She just nodded and Damon smiled cockily. He started off by kissing every inch of her body; every inch except the place where she wanted him most. He worked her body to the point where she was trembling with need, a need she'd never felt before. She wanted him so badly that it hurt. All her erogenous zones were throbbing and aching for him. So, to say she wanted him was not enough. She _needed_ him. She yelled, she begged, she cursed, she did everything she could think of to make him give her what she wanted, but he didn't bulge. He kept 'torturing' her, until she was close to reaching her release, without him actually touching her womanhood.

"I'm… Damon, please… I… Oh, God… Just, please…" Elena mumbled. She didn't make much sense, she didn't care that she didn't make sense, she just wanted to cum.

Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, he spread her legs and pushed his tongue between her lower lips. After a few ups and downs, he started playing with her clit. She couldn't even describe all the sensations taking her over; all she knew was that they were powerful and they were making her body shake. When he pushed two fingers inside of her, she thought she might faint. He started thrusting his fingers in and out while his tongue was vibrating on her sensitive bud.

Soon, Elena decided she had enough. She pushed Damon off her and used the skills she'd built over years and years of training to get him in bed and climb on top of him. It didn't take her long to undo his belt, open the fly of his dark jeans and take them off. Just like Elena hoped it would happen, Damon was too shocked to react.

She had him in her mouth in less than a second and Damon was actually surprised by her gentleness. He had expected her to play a bit rough, to want to dominate him, but he didn't expect that kind of finesse. Her soft lips were taking him in in slow motion while her tongue was going up and down over the tip of his erection.

"Do you have a condom?" she asked and Damon had to think about it a few seconds. It was like his mind was barely working. That was bad news. He was supposed to be working her, not the other way around. The plan was pretty simple: rock her world, make her come back for more, form some sort of relationship with her, get her to trust him and finally get the evidence he needed to prove her guilt. The thing was that she was damn good, and the fact that he'd wanted her from the first moment he saw her didn't much help. It wasn't only physical; he'd had to deal with beautiful women before, but there was something about her…something he couldn't put his finger on. It had to do with the way she moved, the way she talked and the way she looked at him. The fire and determination in her eyes were driving him crazy.

"Yeah," he finally answered and got up. He picked up his jeans and stuck his hand in one of the back pockets.

"Give me that!" she ordered once Damon pulled out the small, shiny package from his pocket. She reached for it, but Damon brushed her hand away.

"I don't think so," he murmured in her ear. She tried to protest, but his lips captured hers and made it impossible for her to talk. Their tongues were brushing one against another like two sweaty bodies making love. He was good, she had to admit it; he was good enough to make her lose her words and she hated that in a way. She never allowed herself to lose control with a guy. Elijah had made her feel good, but he'd never made her head spin and her knees tremble.

She didn't realize Damon had already put on the condom, not until she felt the tip of his erection pushing at her entrance. Even if she'd done this a million times before, she felt nervous. His mouth left hers and traced a wet trail down her throat, then back to her jawline and finally it stopped against her ear.

"Relax, baby, and let me make you feel things you've never felt before," he whispered and she responded with a shiver and a silent cry of surrender. "It will feel good, I promise," he continued and Elena had no doubt that he would keep his promise.

He took his time, entering her slowly, while his lips and tongue were taking care of her neck and shoulders and his right hand was traveling in slow-motion all over her upper body. He seemed to have some sort of manual on 'how to make Elena Gilbert lose her mind', because every move he made had an effect on her and every place he kissed, bit or caressed was getting a reaction out of her. Up until now, she'd had no idea that her body could respond in such a violent way to a man's touch.

Once he was buried all the way inside her warmth, he stopped. Elena took advantage and turned them over so she would be on top. "I'm always on top," she said, smiling.

"There's a first time for everything," he returned as he pushed her over and retook his position on top of her once more. Luckily the bed was big enough and they didn't fall over, but they were by the edge. Damon moved them to the right and let his feet fall on the floor, careful not to pull out of her. "See, now no one's actually on top," he said and she rolled her eyes at him.

She wanted to say something, but his hands went on each side of her hips and he started moving. All the words vanished from her mind and the only sound that came off her lips was a long, erotic moan. Her fingers tangled around the sheets, squeezing them as hard as she could. He was hitting her 'weak-spot' with every stroke and all she could do was lay there and allow him to work her body into oblivion.

"Turn around," Hot breath blew in her ear.

"Huh?" she asked, confused. She only realized he'd stopped moving when she opened her eyes to look at him.

"I said, turn around. I want to feel that sexy ass of yours," he said and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're delusional if you think I'm taking orders now."

"Please?" he murmured, looking at her with those incredible, breathtaking eyes. His lips curled into some sort of pout, but not the childish kind, it looked too erotic to be childish. He looked absolutely adorable and Elena found herself unable to resist. She turned around and Damon's hands immediately took their place, squeezing and caressing her bottom. In one deep move he was back inside of her and she cried out his name.

He was moving his hands over every inch of skin, amazed by the perfection of her curves. It was like she was made for him.

His moves soon became fast and chaotic, their moans mixed to create a new song, sinful and erotic. They reached their release at the same time. Damon's fingers clenched around her hipbone as hers were still holding the sheets as tight as she could. They froze for a minute, only the sound of their heartbeats filling the room.

"Next time, there's no way I'm letting you take the lead," Elena said and Damon maneuvered himself onto his side so he could look at her.

"Isn't that my job as a man…?" he asked.

"This isn't dancing," she protested and he smiled.

"I think it's still some sort of dance."

"Don't go all poetic on me. I'm not the romantic type," Elena said. She picked up her dress and underwear then she turned around to ask Damon where the bathroom was. He pointed the door and she disappeared behind it before he had the chance to say anything else.

* * *

><p><strong>N: You finally got what you were all waiting for so…did you like it? Too intimate? Too meaningful? Please review and let me know.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**N: I am really sorry to have kept you all waiting so long. Exams and all that jazz, y'all know what I'm talking about. Anyhow, I'm back and here's the seventh chapter. I hope you will enjoy it. **

**Thank you Valerie (2serendipity) for your amazing and quick beta work.**

* * *

><p><strong>Going once, going twice<strong>

Damon closed his eyes as soon as the sound of the pouring water filled his ears. He enjoyed that specific sound. It had always had a calming effect on him. He could almost feel the warm drops on his skin and he could imagine them falling all over hers. Clearly, he had enjoyed Miss Elena Gilbert a bit too much. The ugly truth was that he still had a job to do and probably so did she. There was no time to daydream about the beautiful brunette in his shower. Damon believed in the order of things. He was a determinist; every action had a cause and a consequence. Everything happened for a reason and everything had a good explanation. She probably had a very good explanation. Traumatized childhood, abuse and all the elements in that list that usually popped out every time people were ready to kill with no apparent remorse.

Without getting out of bed, he extended his hand to grab Elena's tiny purse from the nightstand. He opened it with much care and let out a frustrated breath once he realized it held nothing more than her cellphone and a small bottle of Tylenol. Then he observed that the purse had another compartment inside. He opened the zipper and took a peek inside, but the disappointment continued. The only things he found in there were two tampons and a condom. It wasn't like he'd actually expected to find a dead body inside, but he'd hoped to find out something more about her. As soon as he put the purse back on the nightstand, he realized that something was missing. Her wallet was not inside her purse. Did she take it with her in the bathroom? He didn't remember seeing her grab something else beside the dress as she went in. Actually he was pretty sure she hadn't opened the purse at all since she'd stepped into his room, and he didn't see a wallet anywhere. Who in their right mind doesn't carry a wallet around?

All of a sudden the calming sound of the pouring water stopped and a creepy silence fell. Damon held his breath for a few moments, listening to every little sound from behind the bathroom door. He could hear his own heart pounding in his chest. In a way, all this silence and calm was making him anxious. When he heard the door- handle move, he gasped, and then mocked himself for his uncharacteristic reaction.

"Damon," Elena called in a sort-of-shy voice as she pushed the door open.

There was something about the needy way she called his name that got Damon's attention. "Yes, I'm here," he answered, like it wasn't obvious. Where else would he be, right?

"Can you please fix this for me?" she asked. Damon cursed under his breath and put on his black boxers. He made his way towards the bathroom, what she could've broken in the luxurious room. They were in the suite of a five star hotel in down-town New York; this was supposed to make the place trouble free. After all, it was costing the agency a fortune. He scoffed as he pushed the door open and went inside.

He didn't see any damages, but he did notice that Elena was wearing a white fluffy towel around her body and the towel was definitely too short to cover much of her gazelle-long legs. The naughty, playful expression on her face made him question the next words that came out of his mouth: "What is that you want me to fix?" A sparkle burned in her chocolate irises. The smile that curled her lips at that moment was definitely not shy, unlike the voice calling for him a minute earlier. The smile on her face was… demonic, in a way.

"This," Elena answered, letting the towel drop at her feet. She was now standing completely naked before him, so that his eyes could feast on the breathtaking image of her perfection. He didn't lose any time to think about the choice he was about to make. Looking back to that decisive moment, Damon knew that his life would've most definitely turned out easier if he would've made another choice. But in that moment, it seemed like didn't actually have a choice. He wanted her and that was that.

His left arm went around Elena's tiny waist and pulled her towards him, making sure that every inch of her body was molded against his. Meanwhile, his right hand caressed her neck, his fingers brushed – just barely – over her jawline, ending up tangled in her slightly wet hair. He pulled just a little; to make her head lean aside and then his mouth captured hers in a passionate kiss. She moaned in his mouth and Damon pushed his hips forward in response. His hardness made Elena let out another muffed moan.

Just when oxygen became an issue, Damon finally pulled back and they both took a few seconds to catch their breaths. Elena's chest was pressed against his so tight that Damon could feel her heart beat. The rhythm was just as fast and uneven as the one of his own heart. That gave him some sort of comfort. At least he wasn't the only one who was overwhelmed.

With that in mind, Damon let his hand slide along her curves. He grabbed both of her legs and placed them around his hips. "Shouldn't we take this back to bed?" he asked, whispering in her ear, and Elena trembled slightly as the warmth of his soft breath reached her ear shell.

"Too far," Elena mumbled back, trying her best to push Damon's boxers over his hips with her legs. She could feel his erection poking her pubic bone and that was enough to give her a burning, tickling sensation between her legs. As soon as Damon heard the words leave her mouth, he picked her up and turned her around, placing her on the edge of the sink.

"Stay," he mumbled in her ear and disappeared into the living room. He came back less than a minute later with a condom in his hand. "You didn't move," he said, amused.

"You told me not to," Elena said softly.

"I thought you were too stubborn to take orders."

"I am, but I was going to stay still anyway." She smiled at Damon and he couldn't help but adore that innocent smile. It was in perfect contrast with the fire in her eyes. Elena reached for Damon's hand and pulled him towards her. "We can do the talking later. For now I just want you to keep touching me."

"Yes, ma'am."

It didn't take Damon long to get back into the rhythm. He started by kissing the palm of her hand, taking the time to suck every one of her fingers into his mouth. After he was done with her hands, he moved to her shoulders, her collarbone and finished with her breasts. When he finally filled her, they were both close to reaching their release. It was like Elena was gasoline and Damon was a lit match. Together, they were a burning inferno.

Elena woke up about two hours later. She looked at the big, old-fashioned clock on the wall and realized she won't have time to go home and change or she would be late for her meeting with Klaus. From experience, Elena knew Klaus was _not_ a big fan of anyone who came late to see him. She learned that about him a long time ago. Luckily, if she moved fast enough, she would have time to stop by the flower-shop. It was on her way and she had clothes there to change.

"I'm going to take a shower," Damon said. He kissed her shoulder and got up. It took him a few seconds to pick up a new pair of underwear and then he disappeared behind the bathroom door, leaving Elena alone. She put her dress back on along with her heels; she grabbed her purse and made her way towards the door. She stopped half way and turned back. She picked up a napkin that was lying on the small coffee table and wrote 'thank you' carefully on it, using her berry-red lipstick. She put the napkin on the pillow and stormed out.

***Target: Love***

Just three minutes before ten, Elena knocked on Klaus' office door. She heard him yell at her to come in and close the door, so she did as told.

"Whatever you did last night, you are radiant, my dear," Klaus said as he kissed her on both cheeks. Elena almost blushed, but then she remembered that in front of her was probably the cruelest, coldest man she'd ever met. This was no time to be ashamed or shy. Klaus probably had a reason to ask her into his office and that reason was probably named 'Elijah' or 'Rebekah', or both. She still couldn't believe Elijah had gone against her. He was such a good assassin. Elena had always respected his talent. It was a shame she'd be killing him soon.

"Why is it that you called me in, boss?" Elena asked and Klaus's eyes started to sparkle.

"I wanted to congratulate you on a job well done with that pretty agent, Rebekah Michaelson."

"Excuse me, sir?" to say she was surprised was not enough. What was he talking about? Elijah probably had taken Rebekah out of the country or even the continent by now.

"Esther called me last night, as soon as the story reached her office."

Esther Small was the chief editor at the New York Times. Every bit of news that was news worth having would reach her first. She and Klaus had been friends since forever and she always made sure to call Klaus as soon as she heard anything he might have an interest in. At midnight, at three in the morning or at five in the afternoon; she was not afraid to call him at any hour.

Could it be that Elijah had actually done it? Had he killed his sister after all? No, that was not possible. Something was definitely not right.

"I have no idea how you do it," Klaus continued, handing her a piece of paper.

"A gas leak caused a tragic fire in downtown New York last night. Even though the firemen arrived on the scene as soon as possible, two people died. Rebekah Michaelson and her roommate Kol Daren were burned alive by the fire. They were both students at the University of New York, both in their last year…" Elena read and Klaus smiled.

"Collateral damage! It's a first for you," he commented. Elena was sure of two things. First, there was no way in hell that the girl in that fire had been Rebekah Michaelson. Second, she couldn't tell Klaus the truth, not until she knew what she was talking about. He should've known better. Elena had never hurt anyone she wasn't paid to hurt. She was pretty sure Elijah had faked his sister's death to get Klaus off their backs; he was clearly smart enough to pull it off. Maybe she should just say a thank you and move on. It wasn't her business after all. It was not her fight. "Well, I have a lot of work to do. Congratulations again, to take an agent with such ease…but then again, you are a very talented girl. I'll see you Friday for dinner, ok?"

"Ok, thank you," Elena mumbled and left Klaus' office. She went home and jumped into the shower. She was hoping she'd be able to wash _his_ scent away. She'd figure out the Rebekah thing later, for now she had to get Damon Salvatore out of her mind, so she'd be able to concentrate on something else.

* * *

><p><strong>N: Here you go. You are still there? Review and let me know if I should hurry with the next chapter.<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**N: Here's the next chap, finally. I hope you'll like the chapter and the surprise visitor, lol. **

**Thank you Valerie (2serendipity) for the great beta-work!**

* * *

><p><strong>Collateral damage<strong>

"Elena."

She could feel the ocean caressing her feet, and she loved it. Ever since she was a child, she was completely in love with the ocean. The water was warm and the wind was just a breeze, brushing her hair off her face. Like a gentle lover, taking the time to make sure his fingertips would touch her skin here and there, making her aware of them. She could also smell the ocean: a little wild and a little salty. That was probably it, the reason she loved the ocean so much. There was this wild and unpredictable side to it that reminded her of herself. She may look calm and collected, but deep down…if only people would know. But that was the point. People would not take the time to get to know her, and she couldn't be bothered with getting to know them. She usually liked it that way. It was what kept her going.

"Elena, can you hear me?"

The voice was driving her crazy. She couldn't quite put a name to it, but whoever the faceless person calling her was, she hated her. Because now she couldn't smell the ocean anymore. Her eyes opened slowly and it took her only a few seconds to realize that she had actually fallen asleep in her office, and the voice she hated now more than ever for pulling her out of that beautiful and peaceful daydream, belonged to her dear secretary.

"How long was I out for?" She asked softly and Bonnie smiled.

"About half an hour. I would've let you sleep; you looked so happy. Only I thought this particular client might interest you."

Elena didn't ask any more questions. She didn't even hear what Bonnie said afterward, because she was already rushing out of her office. She guessed that a part of her was ashamed. She was used to be always in control, always one step ahead; she could not afford to just fall asleep like that. But lately, she was not sleeping at all. Every time she'd close her eyes, she would dream about him. As soon as she fell asleep, her blue-eyed lover would take over her dreams. When she was awake, the only thing she could think about, was Elijah and Rebekah and what she should do next.

She walked out of her office as fast as she could, stopping all together when she saw Damon standing there, holding a single blood-red rose in his hand.

"I think I scared away your little assistant," he said casually. His calm and insolent approach was making Elena boil inside. He was moving and talking like he belonged there, as if him being there in her little flower boutique was the most natural thing in the world. But he did not belong there; in fact, he should've been out of her life by now and they were not supposed to ever meet again and he was not supposed to have that kind of effect on her, not anymore. Her insides were itching and her head felt heavier than usual. She blamed it all on the fact that she hadn't slept and she was just tired. After clearing her throat, she finally found herself ready to speak.

"Damon," she flashed an obviously fake smile at him. But he only smiled back, and that was enough to turn her fake smile into a real one. "What brings you to my humble store?"

Damon made his way towards her slowly; he twirled the flower between his fingers a few times before handing it to Elena.

"I tried to find you the most beautiful one…one that looks better than the rest of them, you know, different, just like you," he said, and Elena acceptedthe rose and looked at it, inspecting the flower. She couldn't find anything particularly different; it looked just like the rest of them.

"Did you succeed?" she asked in a whisper.

"You should know, you are the florist after all," he raised an eyebrow at her. "The ones in there are Floribunda roses, and the one you are holding, is a Grandiflora rose. There is not much of a difference between them, but you should be able to tell."

"How do _you_ know?"

"Roses were one of my mother's passions when I was a kid. I guess all those hours we used to spend together in our garden with her going on and on about all types of roses have left a mark on me."

"Why are you here, Damon?" Elena asked. She had to do something to distract herself from the incredible need deep inside her that wanted to know more about him. If she could pretend that she had never gotten that – way too personal – piece of information, everything would be okay.

"Well, I was in the neighbourhood and I thought I'd pay you a visit," he answered cheerfully. He seemed to be in a very good mood and the fact was pissing Elena off so much, she wanted to poke his eyes out. She hadn't slept in days and she still hadn't found Elijah or his sister. It was like the ground had opened up and swallowed them. It was either that, or they'd actually died in the "accident", but Elena seriously doubted that. She didn't believe in coincidence. She had witnessed way too many things; she had done most of them; no, she did not believe in fairy tales.

"Well, as you can see, I'm working," she said like that was supposed to fix everything.

"Yeah, you look awfully busy," Damon said sarcastically as he looked around the small, empty store. "Elena, darling, it's Monday. No one buys flowers on a Monday. Come on, let your secretary handle it. I'm sure she is more than capable of holding down the fort, so you can come with me."

"Come with you where?"

"It's a surprise," he said and winked at her.

Elena looked at him like he was talking about spaceships. "Oh, come on, pouty, it's a beautiful day outside and by the looks of it, you could use some fresh air," he smiled and all Elena could do at this point was return the favour. She knew damn well she looked ill and in much need of a break. Just as she was about to answer Damon, the door to the little store opened and annoying "ring" echoed through the room. They both looked towards the door, but Elena was the only one able to recognize the person who'd just entered the flower shop.

"Jeremy," Elena whispered, and Damon immediately recognized the name. He remembered reading about her brother who lived far away and wouldn't talk to her all that much. But why was he here now? Damon couldn't help but wonder.

They hugged, in a sort of awkward, but familiar way. In Elena's mind there were just two possibilities as to why her brother was standing there. The first was that somebody had died, and second meaning he needed a large amount of money.

"Uh, Damon, this is my brother, Jeremy," Elena said in a rushed voice. Damon offered the young man his hand.

"I'm Damon."

"Pleasure to meet you, man. So, sis, you finally found someone willing to put up with you," Jeremy joked. Before Elena had the time to even process her brother's words, Damon jumped to her defence.

"She is not that bad, plus she likes flowers, so she can be charmed," Damon said, eyeing the single rose Elena was still holding in her hand. "I was about to take your sister out for a walk in the park. I don't see why you can't join us, Jeremy," Damon offered politely.

His proposition of a promenade with her brother and her confused Elena; she had trouble putting a label on Damon. He wasn't her boyfriend, nor her friend, nor even her fuck-buddy seeing as they'd just slept together once. Okay, twice, but it only counted as once.

"I'm sure Jeremy's exhausted after his trip. I'll escort him home and come back to the store as soon as he is all set in. I'll drive, come on," Elena said walking towards the door, but Damon's hand caught her elbow. In two easy moves Elena was in Damon's arms and his eyes were holding her captive.

"Don't I get a kiss? For the rose," he explained.

"Actually, I am not that tired, Elena. It's been what? Five years since I've visited you? You still live in that huge villa with the white fence and the creepy black door?" Jeremy asked and Damon raised an eyebrow at Elena. "I would very much like to go with you guys for a walk around town," he continued without waiting for his sister's reply.

"I am not dressed for walking around town, boys," Elena complained pointing at her pencil skirt and high heels.

"Oh, come on, sis, we can pass by your place so you can change into something more comfortable," Jeremy offered and Damon nodded. He couldn't believe he'd actually found an ally in the kid. And he'd finally get to see Elena's house. He'd had that planned three weeks from now, but it looked like he might get lucky and see it today. He'd be sure to find a way to snoop around without raising any suspicions in Elena's mind or her brother's.

"I have some clothes here. They're not the best, but they'll do," Elena said, desperately trying to avoid inviting Damon into her home. Elena Gilbert was a classy woman with an expensive taste, and it was showing all over her luxurious house. Some might wonder how she was able to afford such luxury onthe salary from a tiny flower boutique.

"I'd rather leave my bags and freshen up as well," Jeremy protested.

"I can't just leave the store for so long," she made one last attempt.

"I'm sure your lovely assistant won't mind. Is she still here?"

"Bonnie? Yes."

Hearing her name, Bonnie came out of Elena's office. She waved warmly at Jeremy, but he would have none of it. He walked over and gave the young assistant a long hug. Damon could swear he saw more emotions in that hug than in the one between him and his sister.

"Not at all. I'll close early, as usual for Mondays. It's not a problem," Bonnie said and Damon thought that if looks could kill, Bonnie would be dead by now, considering the way Elena looked at her assistant.

"Ok, let's go. Bonnie, if anything happensor you need anything, call me on my cell," Elena said. Sighing, she walked out of the store and towards her car. She knew Damon would have questions she wouldn't be able to answer; she just hoped he would hold on to them until she could think of something. Preferably after Jeremy was out of the way so she could lie more freely.

***Target: Love***

Elena let down the window of her car to press the green button on the small remote-control unit. The gates opened, and she drove a few more metres before pushing another button that opened the door to a two-space garage.

"You bought a Jaguar?" Jeremy exclaimed, noticing the very expensive car. "That's insane! Can I drive it?"

"Sure, Jer," Elena answered in a fake enthusiastic voice. She was cursing herself for forgetting that the car wasn't parked in the underground garage. She glanced at Damon from the corner of her eye, but she couldn't read his expression.

"This house of yours looks more like a mansion," Damon remarked. Maybe he should have chosen another career. Hell, he could've been an assassin too. If this was what the job payed, he could've retreated at age 32.

"That's nothing, man! Wait till yousee –"

"Your usual room, or do you want another one?" Elena asked. At this point, she felt like shoving something into her brother's mouth to keep him from getting her into trouble.

"Usual's fine," Jeremy answered and ran up the stairs. Elena let out a breath and turned to Damon who was admiring her Venice at Twilight by Monet.

"This is a very good copy," he said and she smiled.

"I know. That's why I bought it," she wasn't about to tell him that it was the original painting. "Make yourself at home; I will only take a few minute to change."

"Take your time; I'm not in a hurry."

Elena smiled and made her way upstairs. As soon as he heard a door – that Damon suspected was the door to her room – close, he started snooping around, looking for a place that visitors weren't supposed to see.

"Bingo," he said as he tried to open the double-door office before realizing it was locked shut.

* * *

><p><strong>N: Don't forget to review! Thank you!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**N: Hey there amazing people of FanFic, I return today before us, with an update for this story you used to like. I hope you are still interested by it, because I still have a couple of chapters left. **

**Thank you Varelie(2serendipity) for her amazing beta work.**

* * *

><p><strong>The little things that matter<strong>

There was a 'click' sound and the door opened, Damon smirked proudly: it had taken him less than 15 seconds this time. A new personal record for picking a lock. After closing the door behind him with as little noise as possible, Damon stopped in the middle of the large room. He gave himself a few seconds to take everything in, look for anything unusual, anything that might look out of place. It was a beautiful room. Large and very well decorated. It reminded Damon of his father's office. Growing up, he and Stefan used to sneak into his office just because they weren't allowed to. He remembered it as being dark, mysterious and smelling faintly like cigars. Unlike his father's office though, this one was very bright, with enormous windows and a few sun-flowers placed randomly around the room.

He decided to start his 'snooping around' with the huge desk. He advanced towards it and looked over the papers that were carefully arranged on the desk without touching anything. There was today's paper, some bills for electricity and water, and a few blank papers, but nothing unusual. Just when he decided there was nothing worth reading on the desk, he noticed a cut from last week's paper. He pulled out his pen from his chest pocket and carefully pushed the blank pages away so he'd be able to read the article. It was about an arson that had killed two people. Damon didn't think much of it until he saw the name 'Rebekah Mikaelson' as one of the victims. He knew Rebekah. He'd worked with her a few times. Hell, he'd even slept with her on occasion. One thing was for sure, she was one hell of an agent. Had Elena Gilbert somehow managed to kill a CIA agent and make it look like arson? But something was off. Something was missing. He wouldn't expect anyone else to notice, but he'd noticed that Mrs. Elena Gilbert had her own signature: flowers. Every time one of her victims popped up, there were flowers or some sort of plants nearby. He remembered that the guy at the hotel had had a fresh bouquet of flowers in the room. The two guys that were killed in their offices had a new plant, the woman found suffocated in her own bed had a white rose lying next to her on the pillow. Arson didn't seem to be her style, but you never knew of course. He would have to conduct his own investigation on the arson thing.

Taking a seat, he opened the first drawer on his right, but all he found there were a few markers, pens and pencils. Moving on to the second one, he found four agendas but there was nothing written on them but numbers from one to four. In the last one there was just a big pile of A4 blank papers. There were two more drawers on his left and Damon held his breath as he opened the first one. The disappointment continued as he found – what looked like a million – wires and cables. And in the last one, there were a few thick books: two on different kinds of spiders, one on insects and another four books on plants. Nothing unusual for a person that owned a flower shop.

Disappointed, Damon left the room and moved back to the same place Elena had left him just ten minutes before. Another ten minutes passed before Elena and Jeremy both came down the stairs.

They decided to prepare some snacks in Elena's well stocked kitchen and go to the park.

***Target: Love***

"So, how long have you two known each other?" Jeremy asked. He was occupying himself with a huge muffin, without looking at Elena or Damon as he asked the question.

"A few months…"

"A few days…"

They both answered at the same time. Jeremy put the muffin back in its box and looked at his sister. "Why are you always lying to me?" he asked and Elena held her breath. "You lied to me when you sent me back to Isobel. You didn't actually leave with the foundation."

"It was a last minute decision not to go," Elena tried to defend herself.

"Why didn't you call? Why didn't you ask me to come back here? If you don't want me here, just say so!"

"It's not that, Jeremy," she looked at Damon from the corner of her eye. There was no definite expression on his face and Elena didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Do you hate me that much?" Jeremy asked and Elena let out a deep breath. She'd been wondering what her brother was doing here, but now she knew: he'd come to confront her for sending him to their aunt, and for choosing to keep him away from her. Of course he didn't know the danger he would be in if he chose to stay. He didn't know that sending her brother away was the best thing Elena Gilbert had ever done.

"Jer, now is not the time," she murmured. "I promise I will answer your questions some other time."

"And when would that be?"

"Tonight. We'll have dinner, just the two of us. I'll cook," she smiled sweetly, hoping that would be enough to stop her brother from asking questions Elena was in no way ready to answer. What would she tell him? The truth? No, that was not an option. First of all, he would hate her more than he already did, and second of all, he would be in danger evenmore than he already was.

"Come on, pouty, I'll buy you an ice-cream. Give the kid a minute to cool off," Damon said softly. Elena looked up and saw Damon's hand in front of her, waiting. She took a few seconds to decide and finally placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her up and guide her towards the gelato-boutique.

"Thank you," Elena murmured into Damon's ear.

"I get it; I have a younger brother too. They can be very…complicated."

"He is not complicated; he just wants answers I can't give," She let out a soft moan as she realized she had let slip much more than she'd intended to. Not under any circumstances could she allow herself to feel too comfortable around anyone. Comfort led to trust, trust led to love, and love led to dependence. Elena Gilbert could live without pretty much anything, but not without her freedom, her independence: that was everything to her. To be able to do whatever she wanted when she wanted.

"Yeah, I got that…"

"Hi, how can I help you?" the girl had to ask twice before Damon paid any attention to her. He was too busy staring at the woman in front of him. He could feel her walls going up again after they had been down for just a few seconds. He could not help but wonder what had happened to her to make her so defensive.

***Target: Love***

"Why so spaced out, brother?" Alaric asked and Damon let out a deep sigh before finally detaching his gaze from the untouched glass of bourbon to look at his friend across the small table.

"I think little Gilbert might know something and I am trying to think of a way to interrogate him without actually interrogating him, if you know what I mean," Damon finally said and Alaric raised an eyebrow at Damon.

"Really? They don't seem that close," he commented, but Damon was sure that if Alaric would have seen them and heard the younger sibling's sarcastic remarks, he would have come to the same conclusion.

"They are not, but if there is someone Elena cares about, it's her brother. I think she pushes him away to protect him."

"If he is pushed away, why would you think he knows something?"

"Just a hunch I have."

"You and your hunches," Alaric rolled his eyes and proceeded to finish the rest of his bourbon. He placed the empty glass on the table along with a 20 dollar bill and got up. "Better find a way to talk to the kid then, because I may not like to admit this, but those damn instincts of yours are never wrong," he said, then he put on his coat and left.

Damon decided to get another drink and stay for a while. Drinking at his favourite bar had always helped him think. Alaric was right about one thing. Damon's intuition had never failed him. He doubted it would start now, but that didn't mean he had to like what it made him do sometimes.

* * *

><p><strong>N: Here you go a little chapter in between. I have another one like that coming (a DE one) before we go back to action. Please don't forget to review.<strong>


End file.
